A makeshift memorial for Steve Jobs is seen on the sidewalk outside his home on October 7 in Palo Alto, Calif. Jobs, co-founder of Apple, died October 5, 2011 at the age of 56. (Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)

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Why, Really, Do We Love Steve Jobs?

It’s the old appealing story of a man who pursued his inner passion and got rich.

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Jobs' story gives us a chance to imagine that integrity and wealth can coincide. It's a good dream.

When Steve Jobs stepped down as head of Apple in August 2011, a stream of accolades began to flow that, upon his death, turned into a flood. Why is this? He invented things, right? One news report claimed Steve Jobs “invented the personal computer as a user-friendly device, invented the notion that the mouse could be our real interface with that computer, never mind the fact that he invented the category of iPod, iPad, and of course selling music digitally.”

Uh, no. The Apple II was neither invented by Jobs nor was it the friendliest computer of its day (think Xerox Alto, or Commodore PET). Credit for the mouse goes to Douglas Engelbart, and the Xerox Star sold with a mouse as the primary interface two years before the Mac. There were digital music players, smart phones, and tablets long before the iPod, iPhone, and iPad. The digital sale of music was taking place at least by 1998 (google Ritmoteca.com), years before iTunes followed suit. And Jobs was never a programmer or an engineer, anyway. Apple employees did that stuff for him.

Even when it does not misread Jobs’ contributions, almost all the commentary says that his “products changed our lives.” Really? The Vietnam war changed my life, going to graduate school changed my life, falling in love changed my life, having a child changed my life. Is an iPhone really in the same category? If Jobs and Apple had never existed and instead I used a Blackberry or a Nokia phone, or a Dell laptop instead of a Macbook, or if even we’d been stuck with Wordperfect’s old function keys instead of a mouse, how different would our life be, really? Sure, we’re fond of the Apple gizmos we’ve had over the years, but “life changing” is a stretch.

So what is this all about? I think it’s the story: the story of a rebel-hero who follows his inner conviction instead of the well-trodden path. From his jeans and sneakers to his flamboyant rock-star arrogance to the distinctiveness of Apple’s products to his oracular marketing style, Steve Jobs’ life offers a raft of details that flesh out a classic tale, the tale of a guy who bucked convention, followed his heart instead of the crowd, and in doing so, triumphed. Americans are deeply in love with that story. Combined with the repeated business successes–Apple II, Macintosh, Pixar, iPhone, etc.–Steve Jobs’ life gives us a chance to tell that story, to celebrate it, again.

We’ve been liking this story for a long time. Back in 1841, Ralph Waldo Emerson advised Americans “Trust Thyself… . Whoso would be a man, must be a nonconformist… . ” In 2005, Steve Jobs told a crowd of college graduates basically the same thing: “There is no reason not to follow your heart… . Don’t be trapped by dogma–which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.” Trust the self, your inner voice, not others; go with your intuition, not some calculation or common wisdom. Don’t calculate: pursue your inner passion. We are madly in love with that story, and recounting the life of Steve Jobs lets us tell it again.

Significantly, the Steve Jobs version of the story is one that is particularly easy to like: he pursued his inner passion, AND he got rich. Sure, plenty of college students get enamored with Henry David Thoreau, who sacrificed material wealth to live in his cabin in the woods, and Apple itself (with characteristic hubris) included a photo of ascetic Mahatma Gandhi in its Think Different marketing campaign. Mouse inventor Doug Engelbart, who never became particularly wealthy, has books written about him. Aficionados may know that Tim Berners Lee, creator of the original world wide web protocol, has made a point of insisting that the best standards are open non-profit ones.

But none of these economically modest technology pioneers has received anything like the attention that Steve Jobs received during his lifetime. The version of the story that really catches fire for us is the one in which the hero has it both ways: he rejects the dominant society, and then wins by its own rules. The rock star is the classic version of this tale; without all the record sales, we wouldn’t care. Steve Jobs is a rock-star tech executive.

What does it say about us that we are so in love with the story of the hero who pursues his inner passions and then makes it big? The American Founding Fathers had a rather more principled, rational version of the ideal capitalist in mind. Benjamin Franklin, in both his life and works, advocated frugality, reason, honesty, science, and hard work. A century later, Thomas Edison attributed a tiny 1 percent of genius to inspiration, the rest to perspiration. Neither would have thought it a good idea to do what Jobs did, take LSD and drop out of college to wander the world on a quest for his true self. Emerson, though, might very well have approved.

The standard story capitalism offers us about ourselves is more like Ben Franklin’s. We’re supposed to be rational, calculating shopkeepers, maximizing our profit and minimizing our losses while competing with our fellows in the open marketplace. But that’s so dry, so narrowly calculating. It might get you through the next contract negotiation. But when Jobs recruited PepsiCo president John Sculley to be CEO of Apple Computer in the 1983, he famously told Sculley, “do you want to sell sugar water for the rest of your life or do you want to come with me and change the world?” In strict marketplace theory, entrepreneurial individuals do not care about changing the world; the invisible hand is supposed to take care of that. Selling sugar water at a profit is a perfectly rational thing to do.

Yet often enough, we need something more, something enchanting, something that puts some fire in the belly. Ayn Rand made Howard Roark a brilliant architect, not a clever ball bearing manufacturer or stock broker. The tale of the creative rebel who follows his or her inner passion to success holds out the hope that our lives can have both meaning and well-being, a hope that we don’t have to choose between integrity and wealth.

Jobs is a significant figure. Future historians might view him as a late twentieth century analog to Walter Gropius, impresario of the Bauhaus movement, which transformed industrial design in the 1920s. But for right now, with the headlines full of financial scandals, intractable global debt problems, and growing inequalities of wealth, we view his life through the limited lens of the rebel hero story. It is not coincidental that people are wondering – and not just on the streets of Manhattan – if there are better ways to organize a society that enables a life with meaning.

Jobs’ story gives us a chance to imagine that, if even for a brief moment, if even for one person, integrity and wealth can coincide. It’s a good dream. But achieving that dream on a widespread basis is more complicated than the rebel hero story suggests. Let’s hope that, once the tsunami of tributes subsides, we can tackle the problem, in all its complexity, head on.

Good Topic. Steve Jobs was the father of modern technology, and people nowadays cannot live without such technologies Steve Jobs has created.
James Carlson
Online Malware RemovalPosted by James Carlson on 2011-12-18 21:48:24

Late note on your good article:
In the thirties Jobs may have been just one of many bigger than life "titans" of industry whom Fortune would have interviewed - or like a movie director, but William Wyler rather than Welles.
The most dangerous precedent set by Jobs and Apple is that they had a very poor, almost nonexistent, record in contributing to charities and public good. And the technology they favored seems to encourage good citizens to be isolated and solipsistic - or pseudo-social.
Walter Gropius was only one of many Bauhaus department heads - a "good talker" - according to Skidmore's Gordon Bunschaft, who says Gropius probably "couldn't design a doorknob" and that Marcel Bruer was the great designer for Gropius – and the great teacher. (Chicago Art Institute oral histories). Maybe Jobs fits with this or was a little more.
And before Apple there were Dieter Rams at Braun and the designers of Olivetti, who were in my opinion far more adacious and less "tasteful" than the Apple team.
Regarding Wordperfect, it was loved by paralegals and legal secretaries who very reluctantly gave it up for its lesser copycat, Word.
Posted by James Joannides on 2011-12-02 14:07:12

This is my first visit to this website and I am relieved to see the comments to this post!! When St. Jobs 'passed' I seemed to be the only person who was in any way questioning the claim that the man had 'left the world a better place'. Really? I am not certain that the majority of the world's population - most of whom can barely afford to eat - knew or cared for the works of Mr.Jobs. An apple is an item a lucky person gets to eat. Yes, he made pretty gadgets do clever things but this world is very sadly not a better place without him. Oh that that were true!
And please don't get me started on the self-serving proselytizing PR (going for canonization in full) piece that appeared in Guardian by Jobs' sister: http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2011/oct/31/steve-jobs-last-words
Thank you! I've been dying to get that out!Posted by Amsters1 on 2011-11-17 11:34:33

Perhaps if Steve Jobs had lived longer, he might have become a social visionary as well as a technical visionary:
http://mollysmiddleamerica.blogspot.com/2011/10/rip-steve-jobs-wish-you-could-have.htmlPosted by Middle Molly on 2011-10-25 14:53:09

Why do we love Steve Jobs? Start with the article "It's A Wonderful Machine" by David Pogue, the NY Times tech columnist. A copy is located at
And guess what? It is completely true! Maybe exaggerated slightly, or re-worded for comical effect, but every assertion in that article is 100% true.
Americans just love, love, love to make celebrities of people simply because they are celebrities, or "wealthy and by using that wealth became famous." But in Jobs' case, the adulation is perfectly deserved. Without being a programmer or an engineer, he managed to change our world.
The flip-side to "Celebrity Celebration" is the Haters Parade. The Apple computer, company, the Macintosh computer itself, and Steve Jobs the founder, has their share of haters, most of whom seems to be irrational. Some theorized that they are Microsoft Windows adherents who somehow feel threatened by what they see as a menace to the ruling power, their ruling power, the Windows-Intel system. They see only the bad side of Apple, declaring that this bad side is proof that Apple is Evil (tm)
Unfortunately, there is no discussing with these haters. You can point out that Steve Jobs has his good side as well as his bad side until you're blue in the face, and they'll simply insist that he was the devil incarnate, thus deserve to be in "Hades."
In the case of Steve Jobs, they are wrong. Steve Jobs really did contribute to society and humanity. Now, before you scream and shout and rant, let me hasten to add that of course he was no Gandhi or Mandela or Mother Teresa. Then again, Mozart, Monet and Marlon Brando only made pleasant tinkling sounds/ colorful splashes on canvas/ gesticulates wildly on screen and stage, so they were just mere nothing, right? Just rich people buying their fame, right? Probably megalomaniacs, to boot, right?
Rest in peace, Mr. Jobs, the world WILL miss you. It has no choice but to.Posted by Aloysius Johnson on 2011-10-20 05:44:12

Why do we love Steve Jobs? Start with the article "It's A Wonderful Machine" by David Pogue, the NY Times tech columnist. A copy is located at
And guess what? It is completely true! Maybe exaggerated slightly, or re-worded for comical effect, but every assertion in that article is 100% true.
Just to take one example, we're able to barter banter on this website due to the popularity of the World Wide Web. The WWW is so popular because it is so easy to use, just point and click. The WWW was, to simplify, created by Tim Berners-Lee on a computer that was made by Jobs' computer company. And the reason the WWW is a point-and-click GUI simplicity, is because Jobs basically made/ created/ invented the segment of GUI-driven personal computer.
Jobs was like Leonardo Da Vinci, in the scientist and inventor mode. The difference was Jobs managed to actually bring his drawings and designs to the real world.
Americans just love, love, love to make celebrities of people simply because they are celebrities, or "wealthy and by using that wealth became famous." But in Jobs' case, the adulation is perfectly deserved. Without being a programmer or an engineer, he managed to change our world.
The flip-side to "Celebrity Celebration" is the Haters Parade. The Apple computer, company, the Macintosh computer itself, and Steve Jobs the founder, has their share of haters, most of whom seems to be irrational. Some theorized that they are Microsoft Windows adherents who somehow feel threatened by what they see as a menace to the ruling power, their ruling power, the Windows-Intel system. They see only the bad side of Apple, declaring that this bad side is proof that Apple is Evil (tm)
Unfortunately, there is no discussing with these haters. You can point out that Steve Jobs has his good side as well as his bad side until you're blue in the face, and they'll simply insist that he was the devil incarnate, thus deserve to be in "hades."
In the case of Steve Jobs, they are wrong. Steve Jobs really did contribute to society and humanity. Now, before you scream and shout and rant, let me hasten to add that of course he was no Gandhi or Mandela or Mother Teresa. Then again, Mozart, Monet and Marlon Brando only made pleasant tinkling sounds/ colorful splashes on canvas/ gesticulates wildly on screen and stage, so they were just mere nothing, right? Just rich people buying their fame, right? Probably megalomaniacs, to boot, right?
Rest in peace, Mr. Jobs, the world WILL miss you. It has no choice but to.Posted by Aloysius Johnson on 2011-10-20 04:50:40

Why do we love Steve Jobs? Start with the article "It's A Wonderful Machine" by David Pogue, the NY Times tech columnist. You can google it yourself, this comment gets flagged as "spam" if I include a link.
And guess what? It is completely true! Maybe exaggerated slightly, or re-worded for comical effect, but every assertion in that article is 100% true.
Jobs was like Leonardo Da Vinci, in the scientist and inventor mode. The difference was Jobs managed to actually bring his drawings and designs to the real world.
Americans just love, love, love to make celebrities of people simply because they are celebrities, or "wealthy and by using that wealth became famous." But in Jobs' case, the adulation is perfectly deserved. Without being a programmer or an engineer, he managed to change our world.
The flip-side to "Celebrity Celebration" is the Haters Parade. The Apple computer, company, the Macintosh computer itself, and Steve Jobs the founder, has their share of haters, most of whom seems to be irrational. Some theorized that they are Microsoft Windows adherents who somehow feel threatened by what they see as a menace to the ruling power, their ruling power, the Windows-Intel system. They see only the bad side of Apple, declaring that this bad side is proof that Apple is Evil (tm)
Unfortunately, there is no discussing with these haters. You can point out that Steve Jobs has his good side as well as his bad side until you're blue in the face, and they'll simply insist that he was the devil incarnate, thus deserve to be in hell.
In the case of Steve Jobs, they are wrong. Steve Jobs really did contribute to society and humanity. Now, before you scream and shout and rant, let me hasten to add that of course he was no Gandhi or Mandela or Mother Teresa. Then again, Mozart, Monet and Marlon Brando only made pleasant tinkling sounds/ colorful splashes on canvas/ gesticulates wildly on screen and stage, so they were just mere nothing, right? Just rich people buying their fame, right? Probably megalomaniacs, to boot, right?
Rest in peace, Mr. Jobs, the world WILL miss you. It has no choice but to.Posted by Aloysius Johnson on 2011-10-20 04:44:08

Why do we love Steve Jobs? Start with the article "It's A Wonderful Machine" by David Pogue, the NY Times tech columnist. You can google it yourself, this comment gets flagged as "spam" if I include a link.
And guess what? It is completely true! Maybe exaggerated slightly, or re-worded for comical effect, but every assertion in that article is 100% true.
Jobs was like Leonardo Da Vinci, in the scientist and inventor mode. The difference was Jobs managed to actually bring his drawings and designs to the real world.
Unfortunately, Jobs is just one man, and Apple is just a small company. Remember, it only has a 3-5% market share of computers! It simply cannot afford to start a back-to-America Manufacturing drive.
Americans just love, love, love to make celebrities of people simply because they are celebrities, or "wealthy and by using that wealth became famous." But in Jobs' case, the adulation is perfectly deserved. Without being a programmer or an engineer, he managed to change our world.
The flip-side to "Celebrity Celebration" is the Haters Parade. The Apple computer, company, the Macintosh computer itself, and Steve Jobs the founder, has their share of haters, most of whom seems to be irrational. Some theorized that they are Microsoft Windows adherents who somehow feel threatened by what they see as a menace to the ruling power, their ruling power, the Windows-Intel system. They see only the bad side of Apple, declaring that this bad side is proof that Apple is Evil (tm)
Unfortunately, there is no discussing with these haters. You can point out that Steve Jobs has his good side as well as his bad side until you're blue in the face, and they'll simply insist that he was the devil incarnate, thus deserve to be in hell.
In the case of Steve Jobs, they are wrong. Steve Jobs really did contribute to society and humanity. Now, before you scream and shout and rant, let me hasten to add that of course he was no Gandhi or Mandela or Mother Teresa. Then again, Mozart, Monet and Marlon Brando only made pleasant tinkling sounds/ colorful splashes on canvas/ gesticulates wildly on screen and stage, so they were just mere nothing, right? Just rich people buying their fame, right? Probably megalomaniacs, to boot, right?
Rest in peace, Mr. Jobs, the world WILL miss you. It has no choice but to.Posted by Aloysius Johnson on 2011-10-20 04:43:02

Why do we love Steve Jobs? Start with the article "It's A Wonderful Machine" by David Pogue, the NY Times tech columnist. You can google it yourself, this comment gets flagged as "spam" if I include a link.
And guess what? It is completely true! Maybe exaggerated slightly, or re-worded for comical effect, but every assertion in that article is 100% true.
Just to take one example, we're able to barter banter on this website because it is so easy to use, just point and click. The WWW was, to simplify, created by Tim Berners-Lee on a computer that was made by Jobs' computer company. And the reason the WWW is a point-and-click GUI simplicity, is because Jobs basically made/ created/ invented the segment of GUI-driven personal computer.
Jobs was like Leonardo Da Vinci, in the scientist and inventor mode. The difference was Jobs managed to actually bring his drawings and designs to the real world.
Unfortunately, Jobs is just one man, and Apple is just a small company. Remember, it only has a 3-5% market share of computers! It simply cannot afford to start a back-to-America Manufacturing drive.
Americans just love, love, love to make celebrities of people simply because they are celebrities, or "wealthy and by using that wealth became famous." But in Jobs' case, the adulation is perfectly deserved. Without being a programmer or an engineer, he managed to change our world.
The flip-side to "Celebrity Celebration" is the Haters Parade. The Apple computer, company, the Macintosh computer itself, and Steve Jobs the founder, has their share of haters, most of whom seems to be irrational. Some theorized that they are Microsoft Windows adherents who somehow feel threatened by what they see as a menace to the ruling power, their ruling power, the Windows-Intel system. They see only the bad side of Apple, declaring that this bad side is proof that Apple is Evil (tm)
Unfortunately, there is no discussing with these haters. You can point out that Steve Jobs has his good side as well as his bad side until you're blue in the face, and they'll simply insist that he was the devil incarnate, thus deserve to be in hell.
In the case of Steve Jobs, they are wrong. Steve Jobs really did contribute to society and humanity. Now, before you scream and shout and rant, let me hasten to add that of course he was no Gandhi or Mandela or Mother Teresa. Then again, Mozart, Monet and Marlon Brando only made pleasant tinkling sounds/ colorful splashes on canvas/ gesticulates wildly on screen and stage, so they were just mere nothing, right? Just rich people buying their fame, right? Probably megalomaniacs, to boot, right?
Rest in peace, Mr. Jobs, the world WILL miss you. It has no choice but to.Posted by Aloysius Johnson on 2011-10-20 04:42:16

Why do we love Steve Jobs? Start with the article "It's A Wonderful Machine" by David Pogue, the NY Times tech columnist. You can google it yourself, this comment gets flagged as "spam" if I include a link.
And guess what? It is completely true! Maybe exaggerated slightly, or re-worded for comical effect, but every assertion in that article is 100% true.
Just to take one example, we're able to barter banter on this website due to the popularity of the World Wide Web. The WWW is so popular because it is so easy to use, just point and click. The WWW was, to simplify, created by Tim Berners-Lee on a computer that was made by Jobs' computer company. And the reason the WWW is a point-and-click GUI simplicity, is because Jobs basically made/ created/ invented the segment of GUI-driven personal computer.
Jobs was like Leonardo Da Vinci, in the scientist and inventor mode. The difference was Jobs managed to actually bring his drawings and designs to the real world.
Unfortunately, Jobs is just one man, and Apple is just a small company. Remember, it only has a 3-5% market share of computers! It simply cannot afford to start a back-to-America Manufacturing drive.
Americans just love, love, love to make celebrities of people simply because they are celebrities, or "wealthy and by using that wealth became famous." But in Jobs' case, the adulation is perfectly deserved. Without being a programmer or an engineer, he managed to change our world.
The flip-side to "Celebrity Celebration" is the Haters Parade. The Apple computer, company, the Macintosh computer itself, and Steve Jobs the founder, has their share of haters, most of whom seems to be irrational. Some theorized that they are Microsoft Windows adherents who somehow feel threatened by what they see as a menace to the ruling power, their ruling power, the Windows-Intel system. They see only the bad side of Apple, declaring that this bad side is proof that Apple is Evil (tm)
Unfortunately, there is no discussing with these haters. You can point out that Steve Jobs has his good side as well as his bad side until you're blue in the face, and they'll simply insist that he was the devil incarnate, thus deserve to be in hell.
In the case of Steve Jobs, they are wrong. Steve Jobs really did contribute to society and humanity. Now, before you scream and shout and rant, let me hasten to add that of course he was no Gandhi or Mandela or Mother Teresa. Then again, Mozart, Monet and Marlon Brando only made pleasant tinkling sounds/ colorful splashes on canvas/ gesticulates wildly on screen and stage, so they were just mere nothing, right? Just rich people buying their fame, right? Probably megalomaniacs, to boot, right?
Rest in peace, Mr. Jobs, the world WILL miss you. It has no choice but to.Posted by Aloysius Johnson on 2011-10-20 04:41:17

Why do we love Steve Jobs? Start with the article "It's A Wonderful Machine" by David Pogue, the NY Times tech columnist. A copy is located at
And guess what? It is completely true! Maybe exaggerated slightly, or re-worded for comical effect, but every assertion in that article is 100% true.
Just to take one example, we're able to barter banter on this website due to the popularity of the World Wide Web. The WWW is so popular because it is so easy to use, just point and click. The WWW was, to simplify, created by Tim Berners-Lee on a computer that was made by Jobs' computer company. And the reason the WWW is a point-and-click GUI simplicity, is because Jobs basically made/ created/ invented the segment of GUI-driven personal computer.
Jobs was like Leonardo Da Vinci, in the scientist and inventor mode. The difference was Jobs managed to actually bring his drawings and designs to the real world.
Americans just love, love, love to make celebrities of people simply because they are celebrities, or "wealthy and by using that wealth became famous." But in Jobs' case, the adulation is perfectly deserved. Without being a programmer or an engineer, he managed to change our world.
The flip-side to "Celebrity Celebration" is the Haters Parade. The Apple computer, company, the Macintosh computer itself, and Steve Jobs the founder, has their share of haters, most of whom seems to be irrational. Some theorized that they are Microsoft Windows adherents who somehow feel threatened by what they see as a menace to the ruling power, their ruling power, the Windows-Intel system. They see only the bad side of Apple, declaring that this bad side is proof that Apple is Evil (tm)
Unfortunately, there is no discussing with these haters. You can point out that Steve Jobs has his good side as well as his bad side until you're blue in the face, and they'll simply insist that he was the devil incarnate, thus deserve to be in hell.
In the case of Steve Jobs, they are wrong. Steve Jobs really did contribute to society and humanity. Now, before you scream and shout and rant, let me hasten to add that of course he was no Gandhi or Mandela or Mother Teresa. Then again, Mozart, Monet and Marlon Brando only made pleasant tinkling sounds/ colorful splashes on canvas/ gesticulates wildly on screen and stage, so they were just mere nothing, right? Just rich people buying their fame, right? Probably megalomaniacs, to boot, right?
Rest in peace, Mr. Jobs, the world WILL miss you. It has no choice but to.Posted by Aloysius Johnson on 2011-10-20 04:38:04

Many of us couldn't care less about this guy.
Union hating and voucher loving:
http://www.wired.com/techbiz/people/news/2007/02/72754
A truly "great" mind would have found a way to expand labor here in the USA instead of manufacturing in China to maximize his own personal wealth.
--Posted by Ted D. on 2011-10-17 04:56:01

Hermies, we certainly haven't forgotten about Apple's labor record: See this article for more. http://www.inthesetimes.com/working/entry/11863/remembering_steve_jobs_record_on_workers_rights/Posted by Joe Macaré on 2011-10-14 14:37:24

Why do we love Steve Jobs? Start with the article "It's A Wonderful Machine" by David Pogue, the NY Times tech columnist. bit.ly/njdSIZ
And guess what? It is completely true! Maybe exaggerated slightly, or re-worded for comical effect, but every assertion in that article is 100% true.
Just to take one example, we're able to barter banter on this website because Tim Berners-Lee created an easy way to access a network. He made it on a computer that was made by a company that Jobs founded.
Jobs was like Leonardo Da Vinci, in the scientist and inventor mode. The difference was Jobs managed to actually bring his drawings and designs to the real world.
Americans just love, love, love to make celebrities of people simply because they are celebrities, or "wealthy and by using that wealth became famous." But in Jobs' case, the adulation is perfectly deserved. Without being a programmer or an engineer, he managed to change our world.
The flip-side to "Celebrity Celebration" is the Haters Parade. The Apple computer, company, the Macintosh computer itself, and Steve Jobs the founder, has their share of haters, most of whom seems to be irrational. Some theorized that they are Microsoft Windows adherents who somehow feel threatened by what they see as a menace to the ruling power, their ruling power, the Windows-Intel system. They see only the bad side of Apple, declaring that this bad side is proof that Apple is Evil (tm)
Unfortunately, there is no discussing with these haters. You can point out that Steve Jobs has his good side as well as his bad side until you're blue in the face, and they'll simply insist that he was the devil incarnate, thus deserve to be in hell.
In the case of Steve Jobs, they are wrong. He was no Hitler or Stalin or Cheney. Steve Jobs really did contribute to society and humanity. Now, before you scream and shout and rant, let me hasten to add that of course he was no Gandhi or Mandela or Mother Teresa. Then again, Mozart, Monet and Marlon Brando only made pleasant tinkling sounds/ colorful splashes on canvas/ gesticulates wildly on screen and stage, so they were just mere nothing, right? Just rich people buying their fame, right? Probably megalomaniacs, to boot, right?
Rest in peace, Mr. Jobs, the world WILL miss you. It has no choice but to.Posted by Aloysius Johnson on 2011-10-14 10:48:31

Why do we love Steve Jobs? Start with the article "It's A Wonderful Machine" by David Pogue, the NY Times tech columnist. http://bit.ly/njdSIZ
And guess what? It is completely true! Maybe exaggerated slightly, or re-worded for comical effect, but every assertion in that article is 100% true.
Just to take one example, we're able to barter banter on this website because Tim Berners-Lee created an easy way to access a network. He made it on a computer that was made by a company that Jobs founded.
Jobs was like Leonardo Da Vinci, in the scientist and inventor mode. The difference was Jobs managed to actually bring his drawings and designs to the real world.
Americans just love, love, love to make celebrities of people simply because they are celebrities, or "wealthy and by using that wealth became famous." But in Jobs' case, the adulation is perfectly deserved. Without being a programmer or an engineer, he managed to change our world.
The flip-side to "Celebrity Celebration" is the Haters Parade. The Apple computer, company, the Macintosh computer itself, and Steve Jobs the founder, has their share of haters, most of whom seems to be irrational. Some theorized that they are Microsoft Windows adherents who somehow feel threatened by what they see as a menace to the ruling power, their ruling power, the Windows-Intel system. They see only the bad side of Apple, declaring that this bad side is proof that Apple is Evil (tm)
Unfortunately, there is no discussing with these haters. You can point out that Steve Jobs has his good side as well as his bad side until you're blue in the face, and they'll simply insist that he was the devil incarnate, thus deserve to be in hell.
In the case of Steve Jobs, they are wrong. He was no Hitler or Stalin or Cheney. Steve Jobs really did contribute to society and humanity. Now, before you scream and shout and rant, let me hasten to add that of course he was no Gandhi or Mandela or Mother Teresa. Then again, Mozart, Monet and Marlon Brando only made pleasant tinkling sounds/ colorful splashes on canvas/ gesticulates wildly on screen and stage, so they were just mere nothing, right? Just rich people buying their fame, right? Probably megalomaniacs, to boot, right?
Rest in peace, Mr. Jobs, the world WILL miss you. It has no choice but to.Posted by Aloysius Johnson on 2011-10-14 10:47:58

Why do we love Steve Jobs? Start with the article "It's A Wonderful Machine" by David Pogue, the NY Times tech columnist. Please google it.
And guess what? It is completely true! Maybe exaggerated slightly, or re-worded for comical effect, but every assertion in that article is 100% true.
Just to take one example, we're able to barter banter on this website because Tim Berners-Lee created an easy way to access a network. He made it on a computer that was made by a company that Jobs founded.
Jobs was like Leonardo Da Vinci, in the scientist and inventor mode. The difference was Jobs managed to actually bring his drawings and designs to the real world.
Americans just love, love, love to make celebrities of people simply because they are celebrities, or "wealthy and by using that wealth became famous." But in Jobs' case, the adulation is perfectly deserved. Without being a programmer or an engineer, he managed to change our world.
The flip-side to "Celebrity Celebration" is the Haters Parade. The Apple computer, company, the Macintosh computer itself, and Steve Jobs the founder, has their share of haters, most of whom seems to be irrational. Some theorized that they are Microsoft Windows adherents who somehow feel threatened by what they see as a menace to the ruling power, their ruling power, the Windows-Intel system. They see only the bad side of Apple, declaring that this bad side is proof that Apple is Evil (tm)
Unfortunately, there is no discussing with these haters. You can point out that Steve Jobs has his good side as well as his bad side until you're blue in the face, and they'll simply insist that he was the devil incarnate, thus deserve to be in hell.
In the case of Steve Jobs, they are wrong. He was no Hitler or Stalin or Cheney. Steve Jobs really did contribute to society and humanity. Now, before you scream and shout and rant, let me hasten to add that of course he was no Gandhi or Mandela or Mother Teresa. Then again, Mozart, Monet and Marlon Brando only made pleasant tinkling sounds/ colorful splashes on canvas/ gesticulates wildly on screen and stage, so they were just mere nothing, right? Just rich people buying their fame, right? Probably megalomaniacs, to boot, right?
Rest in peace, Mr. Jobs, the world WILL miss you. It has no choice but to.Posted by Aloysius Johnson on 2011-10-14 10:44:05

Why do we love Steve Jobs? Start with the article "It's A Wonderful Machine" by David Pogue, the NY Times tech columnist. A copy is located at
And guess what? It is completely true! Maybe exaggerated slightly, or re-worded for comical effect, but every assertion in that article is 100% true.
Just to take one example, we're able to barter banter on this website because Tim Berners-Lee created an easy way to access a network. He made it on a computer that was made by a company that Jobs founded.
Jobs was like Leonardo Da Vinci, in the scientist and inventor mode. The difference was Jobs managed to actually bring his drawings and designs to the real world.
Americans just love, love, love to make celebrities of people simply because they are celebrities, or "wealthy and by using that wealth became famous." But in Jobs' case, the adulation is perfectly deserved. Without being a programmer or an engineer, he managed to change our world.
The flip-side to "Celebrity Celebration" is the Haters Parade. The Apple computer, company, the Macintosh computer itself, and Steve Jobs the founder, has their share of haters, most of whom seems to be irrational. Some theorized that they are Microsoft Windows adherents who somehow feel threatened by what they see as a menace to the ruling power, their ruling power, the Windows-Intel system. They see only the bad side of Apple, declaring that this bad side is proof that Apple is Evil (tm)
Unfortunately, there is no discussing with these haters. You can point out that Steve Jobs has his good side as well as his bad side until you're blue in the face, and they'll simply insist that he was the devil incarnate, thus deserve to be in hell.
In the case of Steve Jobs, they are wrong. He was no Hitler or Stalin or Cheney. Steve Jobs really did contribute to society and humanity. Now, before you scream and shout and rant, let me hasten to add that of course he was no Gandhi or Mandela or Mother Teresa. Then again, Mozart, Monet and Marlon Brando only made pleasant tinkling sounds/ colorful splashes on canvas/ gesticulates wildly on screen and stage, so they were just mere nothing, right? Just rich people buying their fame, right? Probably megalomaniacs, to boot, right?
Rest in peace, Mr. Jobs, the world WILL miss you. It has no choice but to.Posted by Aloysius Johnson on 2011-10-14 10:39:05

Why do we love Steve Jobs? Start with the article "It's A Wonderful Machine" by David Pogue, the NY Times tech columnist. A copy is located at
And guess what? It is completely true! Maybe exaggerated slightly, or re-worded for comical effect, but every assertion in that article is 100% true.
Just to take one example, we're able to barter banter on this website because Tim Berners-Lee created an easy way to access a network. He made it on a computer that was made by a company that Jobs founded.
Jobs was like Leonardo Da Vinci, in the scientist and inventor mode. The difference was Jobs managed to actually bring his drawings and designs to the real world.
Americans just love, love, love to make celebrities of people simply because they are celebrities, or "wealthy and by using that wealth became famous." But in Jobs' case, the adulation is perfectly deserved. Without being a programmer or an engineer, he managed to change our world.
The flip-side to "Celebrity Celebration" is the Haters Parade. The Apple computer, company, the Macintosh computer itself, and Steve Jobs the founder, has their share of haters, most of whom seems to be irrational. Some theorized that they are Microsoft Windows adherents who somehow feel threatened by what they see as a menace to the ruling power, their ruling power, the Windows-Intel system. They see only the bad side of Apple, declaring that this bad side is proof that Apple is Evil (tm)
Unfortunately, there is no discussing with these haters. You can point out that Steve Jobs has his good side as well as his bad side until you're blue in the face, and they'll simply insist that he was the devil incarnate, thus deserve to be in hell.
In the case of Steve Jobs, they are wrong. Steve Jobs really did contribute to society and humanity. Now, before you scream and shout and rant, let me hasten to add that of course he was no Gandhi or Mandela or Mother Teresa. Then again, Mozart, Monet and Marlon Brando only made pleasant tinkling sounds/ colorful splashes on canvas/ gesticulates wildly on screen and stage, so they were just mere nothing, right? Just rich people buying their fame, right? Probably megalomaniacs, to boot, right?
Rest in peace, Mr. Jobs, the world WILL miss you. It has no choice but to.Posted by Aloysius Johnson on 2011-10-14 10:30:11

Why do we love Steve Jobs? Start with the article "It's A Wonderful Machine" by David Pogue, the NY Times tech columnist. Please google it yourself
And guess what? It is completely true! Maybe exaggerated slightly, or re-worded for comical effect, but every assertion in that article is 100% true.
Just to take one example, we're able to barter banter on this website due to the popularity of the graphical interface. It is so popular because it is so easy to use, just point and click. It was, to simplify, created by Tim Berners-Lee on a computer that was made by Jobs' computer company. And the reason it is a point-and-click GUI-driven, is because Jobs basically made/ created/ invented the segment of GUI-driven personal computer.
Jobs was like Leonardo Da Vinci, in the scientist and inventor mode. The difference was Jobs managed to actually bring his drawings and designs to the real world.
Americans just love, love, love to make celebrities of people simply because they are celebrities, or "wealthy and by using that wealth became famous." But in Jobs' case, the adulation is perfectly deserved. Without being a programmer or an engineer, he managed to change our world.
The flip-side to "Celebrity Celebration" is the Haters Parade. The Apple computer, company, the Macintosh computer itself, and Steve Jobs the founder, has their share of haters, most of whom seems to be irrational. Some theorized that they are Microsoft Windows adherents who somehow feel threatened by what they see as a menace to the ruling power, their ruling power, the Windows-Intel system. They see only the bad side of Apple, declaring that this bad side is proof that Apple is Evil (tm)
Unfortunately, there is no discussing with these haters. You can point out that Steve Jobs has his good side as well as his bad side until you're blue in the face, and they'll simply insist that he was the devil incarnate, thus deserve to be in hell.
In the case of Steve Jobs, they are wrong. Steve Jobs really did contribute to society and humanity. Now, before you scram and shout and rant, let me hasten to add that of course he was no Gandhi or Mandela or Mother Teresa. Then again, Bach and Beethoven only made pleasant tinkling sounds, so they were just mere nothing, right? Just rich people buying their fame, right? Probably megalomaniacs, to boot, right?
Rest in peace, Mr. Jobs, the world WILL miss you. It has no choice but to.Posted by Aloysius Johnson on 2011-10-14 10:19:26

Why do we love Steve Jobs? Start with the article "It's A Wonderful Machine" by David Pogue, the NY Times tech columnist. Please google it yourself
And guess what? It is completely true! Maybe exaggerated slightly, or re-worded for comical effect, but every assertion in that article is 100% true.
Just to take one example, we're able to barter banter on this website due to the popularity of the World Wide Web. It is so popular because it is so easy to use, just point and click. It was, to simplify, created by Tim Berners-Lee on a computer that was made by Jobs' computer company. And the reason it is a point-and-click GUI-driven, is because Jobs basically made/ created/ invented the segment of GUI-driven personal computer.
Jobs was like Leonardo Da Vinci, in the scientist and inventor mode. The difference was Jobs managed to actually bring his drawings and designs to the real world.
Americans just love, love, love to make celebrities of people simply because they are celebrities, or "wealthy and by using that wealth became famous." But in Jobs' case, the adulation is perfectly deserved. Without being a programmer or an engineer, he managed to change our world.
The flip-side to "Celebrity Celebration" is the Haters Parade. The Apple computer, company, the Macintosh computer itself, and Steve Jobs the founder, has their share of haters, most of whom seems to be irrational. Some theorized that they are Microsoft Windows adherents who somehow feel threatened by what they see as a menace to the ruling power, their ruling power, the Windows-Intel system. They see only the bad side of Apple, declaring that this bad side is proof that Apple is Evil (tm)
Unfortunately, there is no discussing with these haters. You can point out that Steve Jobs has his good side as well as his bad side until you're blue in the face, and they'll simply insist that he was the devil incarnate, thus deserve to be in hell.
In the case of Steve Jobs, they are wrong. Steve Jobs really did contribute to society and humanity. Now, before you scram and shout and rant, let me hasten to add that of course he was no Gandhi or Mandela or Mother Teresa. Then again, Bach and Beethoven only made pleasant tinkling sounds, so they were just mere nothing, right? Just rich people buying their fame, right? Probably megalomaniacs, to boot, right?
Rest in peace, Mr. Jobs, the world WILL miss you. It has no choice but to.Posted by Aloysius Johnson on 2011-10-14 10:18:54

Why do we love Steve Jobs? Start with the article "It's A Wonderful Machine" by David Pogue, the NY Times tech columnist. A copy is located at
And guess what? It is completely true! Maybe exaggerated slightly, or re-worded for comical effect, but every assertion in that article is 100% true.
Just to take one example, we're able to barter banter on this website due to the popularity of the World Wide Web. It is so popular because it is so easy to use, just point and click. It was, to simplify, created by Tim Berners-Lee on a computer that was made by Jobs' computer company. And the reason it is a point-and-click GUI-driven, is because Jobs basically made/ created/ invented the segment of GUI-driven personal computer.
Jobs was like Leonardo Da Vinci, in the scientist and inventor mode. The difference was Jobs managed to actually bring his drawings and designs to the real world.
Americans just love, love, love to make celebrities of people simply because they are celebrities, or "wealthy and by using that wealth became famous." But in Jobs' case, the adulation is perfectly deserved. Without being a programmer or an engineer, he managed to change our world.
The flip-side to "Celebrity Celebration" is the Haters Parade. The Apple computer, company, the Macintosh computer itself, and Steve Jobs the founder, has their share of haters, most of whom seems to be irrational. Some theorized that they are Microsoft Windows adherents who somehow feel threatened by what they see as a menace to the ruling power, their ruling power, the Windows-Intel system. They see only the bad side of Apple, declaring that this bad side is proof that Apple is Evil (tm)
Unfortunately, there is no discussing with these haters. You can point out that Steve Jobs has his good side as well as his bad side until you're blue in the face, and they'll simply insist that he was the devil incarnate, thus deserve to be in hell.
In the case of Steve Jobs, they are wrong. Steve Jobs really did contribute to society and humanity. Now, before you scram and shout and rant, let me hasten to add that of course he was no Gandhi or Mandela or Mother Teresa. Then again, Bach and Beethoven only made pleasant tinkling sounds, so they were just mere nothing, right? Just rich people buying their fame, right? Probably megalomaniacs, to boot, right?
Rest in peace, Mr. Jobs, the world WILL miss you. It has no choice but to.Posted by Aloysius Johnson on 2011-10-14 10:17:47

Why do we love Steve Jobs? Start with the article "It's A Wonderful Machine" by David Pogue, the NY Times tech columnist. A copy is located at
And guess what? It is completely true! Maybe exaggerated slightly, or re-worded for comical effect, but every assertion in that article is 100% true.
Just to take one example, we're able to barter banter on this website due to the popularity of the World Wide Web. The World Wide Web is so popular because it is so easy to use, just point and click. The World Wide Web was, to simplify, created by Tim Berners-Lee on a computer that was made by Jobs' computer company. And the reason the World Wide Web is a point-and-click GUI simplicity, is because Jobs basically made/ created/ invented the segment of GUI-driven personal computer.
Jobs was like Leonardo Da Vinci, in the scientist and inventor mode. The difference was Jobs managed to actually bring his drawings and designs to the real world.
Americans just love, love, love to make celebrities of people simply because they are celebrities, or "wealthy and by using that wealth became famous." But in Jobs' case, the adulation is perfectly deserved. Without being a programmer or an engineer, he managed to change our world.
The flip-side to "Celebrity Celebration" is the Haters Parade. The Apple computer, company, the Macintosh computer itself, and Steve Jobs the founder, has their share of haters, most of whom seems to be irrational. Some theorized that they are Microsoft Windows adherents who somehow feel threatened by what they see as a menace to the ruling power, their ruling power, the Windows-Intel system. They see only the bad side of Apple, declaring that this bad side is proof that Apple is Evil (tm)
Unfortunately, there is no discussing with these haters. You can point out that Steve Jobs has his good side as well as his bad side until you're blue in the face, and they'll simply insist that he was the devil incarnate, thus deserve to be in hell.
In the case of Steve Jobs, they are wrong. Steve Jobs really did contribute to society and humanity. Now, before you scram and shout and rant, let me hasten to add that of course he was no Gandhi or Mandela or Mother Teresa. Then again, Bach and Beethoven only made pleasant tinkling sounds, so they were just mere nothing, right? Just rich people buying their fame, right? Probably megalomaniacs, to boot, right?
Rest in peace, Mr. Jobs, the world WILL miss you. It has no choice but to.Posted by Aloysius Johnson on 2011-10-14 10:16:49

Why do we love Steve Jobs? Start with the article "It's A Wonderful Machine" by David Pogue, the NY Times tech columnist. A copy is located at
And guess what? It is completely true! Maybe exaggerated slightly, or re-worded for comical effect, but every assertion in that article is 100% true.
Just to take one example, we're able to barter banter on this website due to the popularity of the World Wide Web. The World Wide Web is so popular because it is so easy to use, just point and click. The World Wide Web was, to simplify, created by Tim Berners-Lee on a computer that was made by Jobs' computer company. And the reason the World Wide Web is a point-and-click GUI simplicity, is because Jobs basically made/ created/ invented the segment of GUI-driven personal computer.
Jobs was like Leonardo Da Vinci, in the scientist and inventor mode. The difference was Jobs managed to actually bring his drawings and designs to the real world.
Americans just love, love, love to make celebrities of people simply because they are celebrities, or "wealthy and by using that wealth became famous." But in Jobs' case, the adulation is perfectly deserved. Without being a programmer or an engineer, he managed to change our world.
The flip-side to "Celebrity Celebration" is the Haters Parade. The Apple computer, company, the Macintosh computer itself, and Steve Jobs the founder, has their share of haters, most of whom seems to be irrational. Some theorized that they are Microsoft Windows adherents who somehow feel threatened by what they see as a menace to the ruling power, their ruling power, the Windows-Intel system. They see only the bad side of Apple, declaring that this bad side is proof that Apple is Evil (tm)
Unfortunately, there is no discussing with these haters. You can point out that Steve Jobs has his good side as well as his bad side until you're blue in the face, and they'll simply insist that he was the devil incarnate, thus deserve to be in hell.
In the case of Steve Jobs, they are wrong. Steve Jobs really did contribute to society and humanity. Now, before you scram and shout and rant, let me hasten to add that of course he was no Gandhi or Mandela or Mother Teresa. Then again, Bach and Beethoven only made pleasant tinkling sounds, so they were just mere nothing, right? Just rich people buying their fame, right? Probably megalomaniacs, to boot, right?
Rest in peace, Mr. Jobs, the world WILL miss you. It has no choice but to.Posted by Aloysius Johnson on 2011-10-14 10:15:48

Why do we love Steve Jobs? Start with the article "It's A Wonderful Machine" by David Pogue, the NY Times tech columnist. A copy is located at
And guess what? It is completely true! Maybe exaggerated slightly, or re-worded for comical effect, but every assertion in that article is 100% true.
Just to take one example, we're able to barter banter on this website due to the popularity of the World Wide Web. The World Wide Web is so popular because it is so easy to use, just point and click. The World Wide Web was, to simplify, created by Tim Berners-Lee on a computer that was made by Jobs' computer company. And the reason the World Wide Web is a point-and-click GUI simplicity, is because Jobs basically made/ created/ invented the segment of GUI-driven personal computer.
Jobs was like Leonardo Da Vinci, in the scientist and inventor mode. The difference was Jobs managed to actually bring his drawings and designs to the real world.
Americans just love, love, love to make celebrities of people simply because they are celebrities, or "wealthy and by using that wealth became famous." But in Jobs' case, the adulation is perfectly deserved. Without being a programmer or an engineer, he managed to change our world.
The flip-side to "Celebrity Celebration" is the Haters Parade. The Apple computer, company, the Macintosh computer itself, and Steve Jobs the founder, has their share of haters, most of whom seems to be irrational. Some theorized that they are Microsoft Windows adherents who somehow feel threatened by what they see as a menace to the ruling power, their ruling power, the Windows-Intel system. They see only the bad side of Apple, declaring that this bad side is proof that Apple is Evil (tm)
Unfortunately, there is no discussing with these haters. You can point out that Steve Jobs has his good side as well as his bad side until you're blue in the face, and they'll simply insist that he was the devil incarnate, thus deserve to be in hell.
In the case of Steve Jobs, they are wrong. Steve Jobs really did contribute to society and humanity. Now, before you scram and shout and rant, let me hasten to add that of course he was no Gandhi or Mandela or Mother Teresa. Then again, Bach and Beethoven only made pleasant tinkling sounds, so they were just mere nothing, right? Just rich people buying their fame, right? Probably megalomaniacs, to boot, right?
Rest in peace, Mr. Jobs, the world WILL miss you. It has no choice but to.Posted by Aloysius Johnson on 2011-10-14 10:14:43

Why do we love Steve Jobs? Start with the article "It's A Wonderful Machine" by David Pogue, the NY Times tech columnist. I'd like to put a link but that would mark this note as spam, so, unfortunately, you have to google it yourself.
And guess what? It is completely true! Maybe exaggerated slightly, or re-worded for comical effect, but every assertion in that article is 100% true.
Just to take one example, we're able to barter banter on this website due to the popularity of the World Wide Web. The WWW is so popular because it is so easy to use, just point and click. The WWW was, to simplify, created by Tim Berners-Lee on a computer that was made by Jobs' computer company. And the reason the WWW is a point-and-click GUI simplicity, is because Jobs basically made/ created/ invented the segment of GUI-driven personal computer.
Jobs was like Leonardo Da Vinci, in the scientist and inventor mode. The difference was Jobs managed to actually bring his drawings and designs to the real world.
Americans just love, love, love to make celebrities of people simply because they are celebrities, or "wealthy and by using that wealth became famous." But in Jobs' case, the adulation is perfectly deserved. Without being a programmer or an engineer, he managed to change our world.
The flip-side to "Celebrity Celebration" is the Haters Parade. The Apple computer, company, the Macintosh computer itself, and Steve Jobs the founder, has their share of haters, most of whom seems to be irrational. Some theorized that they are Microsoft Windows adherents who somehow feel threatened by what they see as a menace to the ruling power, their ruling power, the Windows-Intel system. They see only the bad side of Apple, declaring that this bad side is proof that Apple is Evil (tm)
Unfortunately, there is no discussing with these haters. You can point out that Steve Jobs has his good side as well as his bad side until you're blue in the face, and they'll simply insist that he was the devil incarnate, thus deserve to be in hell.
In the case of Steve Jobs, they are wrong. Steve Jobs really did contribute to society and humanity. Now, before you scram and shout and rant, let me hasten to add that of course he was no Gandhi or Mandela or Mother Teresa. Then again, Bach and Beethoven only made pleasant tinkling sounds, so they were just mere nothing, right? Just rich people buying their fame, right? Probably megalomaniacs, to boot, right?
Rest in peace, Mr. Jobs, the world WILL miss you. It has no choice but to.Posted by Aloysius Johnson on 2011-10-14 10:14:06

Why do we love Steve Jobs? Start with the article "It's A Wonderful Machine" by David Pogue, the NY Times tech columnist. A copy is located at
And guess what? It is completely true! Maybe exaggerated slightly, or re-worded for comical effect, but every assertion in that article is 100% true.
Just to take one example, we're able to barter banter on this website due to the popularity of the World Wide Web. The WWW is so popular because it is so easy to use, just point and click. The WWW was, to simplify, created by Tim Berners-Lee on a computer that was made by Jobs' computer company. And the reason the WWW is a point-and-click GUI simplicity, is because Jobs basically made/ created/ invented the segment of GUI-driven personal computer.
Jobs was like Leonardo Da Vinci, in the scientist and inventor mode. The difference was Jobs managed to actually bring his drawings and designs to the real world.
Americans just love, love, love to make celebrities of people simply because they are celebrities, or "wealthy and by using that wealth became famous." But in Jobs' case, the adulation is perfectly deserved. Without being a programmer or an engineer, he managed to change our world.
The flip-side to "Celebrity Celebration" is the Haters Parade. The Apple computer, company, the Macintosh computer itself, and Steve Jobs the founder, has their share of haters, most of whom seems to be irrational. Some theorized that they are Microsoft Windows adherents who somehow feel threatened by what they see as a menace to the ruling power, their ruling power, the Windows-Intel system. They see only the bad side of Apple, declaring that this bad side is proof that Apple is Evil (tm)
Unfortunately, there is no discussing with these haters. You can point out that Steve Jobs has his good side as well as his bad side until you're blue in the face, and they'll simply insist that he was the devil incarnate, thus deserve to be in hell.
In the case of Steve Jobs, they are wrong. Steve Jobs really did contribute to society and humanity. Now, before you scram and shout and rant, let me hasten to add that of course he was no Gandhi or Mandela or Mother Teresa. Then again, Bach and Beethoven only made pleasant tinkling sounds, so they were just mere nothing, right? Just rich people buying their fame, right? Probably megalomaniacs, to boot, right?
Rest in peace, Mr. Jobs, the world WILL miss you. It has no choice but to.Posted by Aloysius Johnson on 2011-10-14 10:12:58

Why do we love Steve Jobs? Start with the article "It's A Wonderful Machine" by David Pogue, the NY Times tech columnist. A copy is located at
And guess what? It is completely true! Maybe exaggerated slightly, or re-worded for comical effect, but every assertion in that article is 100% true.
Just to take one example, we're able to barter banter on this website due to the popularity of the World Wide Web. The WWW is so popular because it is so easy to use, just point and click. The WWW was, to simplify, created by Tim Berners-Lee on a computer that was made by Jobs' computer company. And the reason the WWW is a point-and-click GUI simplicity, is because Jobs basically made/ created/ invented the segment of GUI-driven personal computer.
Jobs was like Leonardo Da Vinci, in the scientist and inventor mode. The difference was Jobs managed to actually bring his drawings and designs to the real world.
Americans just love, love, love to make celebrities of people simply because they are celebrities, or "wealthy and by using that wealth became famous." But in Jobs' case, the adulation is perfectly deserved. Without being a programmer or an engineer, he managed to change our world.
The flip-side to "Celebrity Celebration" is the Haters Parade. The Apple computer, company, the Macintosh computer itself, and Steve Jobs the founder, has their share of haters, most of whom seems to be irrational. Some theorized that they are Microsoft Windows adherents who somehow feel threatened by what they see as a menace to the ruling power, their ruling power, the Windows-Intel system. They see only the bad side of Apple, declaring that this bad side is proof that Apple is Evil (tm)
Unfortunately, there is no discussing with these haters. You can point out that Steve Jobs has his good side as well as his bad side until you're blue in the face, and they'll simply insist that he was the devil incarnate, thus deserve to be in hell.
In the case of Steve Jobs, they are wrong. Steve Jobs really did contribute to society and humanity. Now, before you scram and shout and rant, let me hasten to add that of course he was no Gandhi or Mandela or Mother Teresa. Then again, Bach and Beethoven only made pleasant tinkling sounds, so they were just mere nothing, right? Just rich people buying their fame, right? Probably megalomaniacs, to boot, right?
Rest in peace, Mr. Jobs, the world WILL miss you. It has no choice but to.Posted by Aloysius Johnson on 2011-10-14 10:12:34

"We" don't love Steve Jobs. What an odd idea-part of the Celebrity Celebration package that so much gets worked in American Style Capitalism etc.
The media love a celebration of entrepreneurial success; perhaps of someone in some respectable way distinguished, but often enough simply what's offered is a celebration of someone who became wealthy and famous whatever the means. Or was wealthy and by using that wealth became famous.
The Banksters are a good example of entrepreneurial success. And if they became sufficiently infamous bad actors to assure the media doesn't celebrate them as much as the media did Jobs, they do get to keep all of that stolen money and remain free.
That's probably better than being famous.
Personal integrity and great wealth? Not a very likely combo.Posted by Terry Baker on 2011-10-14 04:10:32

Um, has everybody already forgotten that Apple, under Jobs, was guilty of some of the worst labor violations in recent history, re: its horrendous "Suicide Factories" in China? Jobs was no saint - in fact, he was little better than your average sweat-shop/plantation-owner corporate hack - he just had better PR flaks. He always looked like a barely-repressed megalomaniac to me - to Hades with him!Posted by Hermies Purrbuckets on 2011-10-13 15:28:19